A sacrifice should not be viewed as something lost, but should be considered an investment for a greater future reward or blessing. Like the great sacrifices of a star athlete, daily sacrifices are necessary for a greater ultimate good. In these preliminary exercises, if we sow sparingly (or practice sparingly), we will reap sparingly (or attain less than optimum results. The apostle Paul considered his many sacrifices as real spiritual gain. We are all recipients of his sacrifice. The most spectacular sacrifice ever made was the life of Jesus Christ. We are all still reaping the dividends of this sacrifice. We need to also make sacrifices as investments in our spiritual future, fully committed to the product God is producing.